This invention relates to an improved apparatus and method for processing fibrous material into substantially individual fibers in the form of a fluff, the fibers being suitably collected as a thin batt, thin mat or the like.
Fiber fluff from cellulose wood pulp or cotton is a well-known material having particular utility in absorbent products such as sanitary napkins, diapers and the like. The process and apparatus to be described herein are useful to fluff a variety of materials. It is particularly useful, however, in the defiberizing and fluffing of the materials which are more difficult to fluff. Such includes wood pulp which resists fluffing to a greater or lesser degree depending upon its history. For example, cellulose pulp is usually supplied by pulp mills as rolls or as short sheets. Commonly, roll pulp in the course of manufacture is less pressed than sheet pulp and somewhat more easily defiberized to an individual fiber condition with minimum cutting of the fibers.